Dispensing container for sheet material



Filed April l2, 1948 A M WVM; @7.11/11 f 2a.

Mamh 7, 1950 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR SHEET MATERIAL Leonard Arnold Smoak, Ridgeville, S. C.

Application April 12, 1948, Serial No. 20,534

4 Claims. (Cl. 20G-57) This invention relates to improvements in dispensing containers, a particular purpose thereof being to provide a postal kit which includes a compartmentation for the storage of postage stamps interfolded in accordion formation, the dispensing guide flanges which comprise the principal elements of the compartmentation being resilient in nature, thereby to exercise a grip on succeeding vertical rows of stamps to prevent undue unfolding yet yielding to manual pulling when it is desired to tear off a row or rows of the stamps or other sheet material.

One of the important uses of the present container in the form of a postal kit is by mail carriers serving rural communities. Such communities do not always have the advantage of a conveniently located post olce where postage stamps can be purchased. Reliance is then placed on the mail carrier as the source of supply for postage stamps, post cards and envelopes. Since mail carriers often encounter inclement Weather in their daily travels, the handling of such commodities as mentioned makes them highly vulnerable to the collection of moisture and dirt, especially so with respect to the gummed surfaces thereof which should be kept dry and clean. Another important use is for the dispensing, safe-keeping and storage of postal sheet material by stamp clerks and postmasters in small post offices and by clerks n-various stores and offices.

At this point it should be explained that while the foregoing uses of the postal kit are its chief uses, the principles of its several features are such as will enable extending the use of the invention to other elds. For example, gummed sheet material in accordion-folded form, or in rolled form, and printed otherwise than to comprise postage stamps, can be stored in and dispensed from the resiliently walled compartments. By the same token, articles other than post cards and envelopes may be contained by other storage spaces provided in the kit for this purpose. The broad aspects of the invention are therefore to be kept in mind, particularly when considering lcommonly encountered. faults in dispensing containers of generally kindred types.

Therefore, reverting to a preferred embodiment of the use of the present invention and now setting out its salient features, it will be understood that one of the objects thereof is to provide a postal kitfhaving one or'more compartments especiallyconstructed to contain postage stamps in interfolded or accordionefold formation, the side members of each compartment-being made of resilient material so that the terminal guide flanges at which 'an end of the stamp "sheet emerges will press thereon Witha grip'that will yield under a vma1r'1ua1'-1'a'izl1 oxthe emergentpor'f tion,

is constructed of resilient material in order to grip the sheet in the manner herein intended.

A further object of the invention is to provide an initial or partial compartment within the confines of the main dispensing compartment for retaining the major portion of the sheet material in folded or ther stored position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a postal kit having a system of compartmentation which especially adapts the kit to safely and cleanly carrying postage stamps, cards and envelopes and storing them.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the postal kit, portions of the cover and one of its guide flanges being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the postal kit, the cover being omitted;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end of the postal kit;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken o n the line 4--4 of Fig. 2, showing the cover in place;

Fig. 5 is a fractional perspective view of one of the stamps compartments, illustrating a particularly important feature of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a detail plan View presently described.

In carrying out the invention, the postal kit, generally designated Ill, is made in the form of a rectangular box preferably of a thermo-setting plastic but permissibly of any substiute of sufficient durability to withstand the hard use to which it will be put. The box has `a bottom II, back I2 and opposite sides I3. The top and front are open thereby to provide full and easy access to the compartmented interior in which the stamps, cards and envelopes are storeglj The space afforded by the open topf'and front may be closed by a cover I4 which comprises -the top and front portions I5 and I6. lThetop has a. depending flange I'I wllich overlaps the back IN2 and sides I3 to compose a fairly complete closure around the top margin. The front portion I6 is inthe form of an oversize flan'geymore' in the 'nature `of"'a flap which' goescompletely to' the bottom Il. The cover I4 is emplaced and te- 2) into whichfthefrontverticaledges of the sidesf I3 are formed;

Channels I9 and 20 are formed in the back and sides, all of which add considerable -stiiness to The side channels provide the structure. guides for the plates 2| and 2'2" of' a compart mentation, the immediately following description being confined to one of the'memb'ersthere of. The plate 2| is slid into and desirably,y i-lxedv in a pair of the guides located nearest the open front. It is the foundation of a plurality of stamp compartments 23, all of"which are identical exceptfor adifference in size. Most of thecompartments` areof ai size to-hold the usuali smallpostage. stamps in accordionefold formation.A asat24^f (Fig.l 5). Severalcompartments of.- larger dimension areY provided to, hold" stampsz of the commemorative: size. Said diierence occasions.- an offset in the'plate 2 l;

Vertical parallely ribs 26;-onfront ofthe plate zIgformedby. channelling the back ofsaidplate,v provide mounts to which the inner upright edges of. the .,horizontallyarched orA bowed resilient sides 2lare'eitherfcemented or press-ttedto makezanenduring bond.- The remote sides 21a; lacking;

mounting ribs,.arecemented directly to itheback ing plate.` The dispensing anges 2S, in which the sides 21. and: 21a terminate atntheffront,` lie; nat against each; other, or nearly se,A beingrestrainediin thatrelationship byv the inward ten-- sion of companion: sidesofv each compartment' 23. Thefnether. edges'of saidxsidesizlA are unattacheditotherbottomf H solas'notlto limit lexf uret Consequently.l the' dispensing flanges exercise a grip on the emergent vertical rowv stamps 2.9l (Fig. 51)'yielding only'to the'manual pull( appliedtheretofat-a thumb-notch 3Din at leasty one ofthe dispensing: flanges. Retarding ribs-3|I onthe inner surfaces of the sides 2l, 21a;are:spaced' forwardly at equal distances from the inner upright-edges toconfront each other asshown (Fig. 2). The previously mentioned accordiorrfold-241'y is" emplacedrbehind the confronting rihs which act to retard the major portion of thainterfold'ed sheet',- The-stampsare prevented from unfolding too much when the emergent row 29 is pulled outv as'atzaland. torn 01T: acrossthe edge 32; in which respect said ribs'SIr coop'eratewith the -dispensing flanges 28.

Referringnowto' the other member' of: the;

compartmentation, namely; theV plate 22?', it iso'b-A i served'in Fig.` 2z thatthe offset 25`is occupiedin part bya small receptacle SS'which extends forwardl'y from the plate 22. The'l'atter has one or more shelves 3`4 which extend to/the back. The' distribution and dimensions ofthe receptacle'an'dshelves-aresuch as to dene spaceswhich'canbe usedfor the. storage of postcards, small andlarge. envelopes in that order.v The large envelopes rest on. thev shelves. Stamp books are kept' in'- the receptacle.- 33'.` In. addition to thatV purpose the lateral-wallsof the receptacle provideanngerholdby means of.' whichftheplate can. beflifted initsguides 2U..

" In'. theembodiment ShOWmthe/pl'ate 22' does notiextendalLtheway down. (Fig. 4), beingfsupportedlinthe suspendedv postionby. restsiwhichV are. cemented to the 'sides` I3l across' the. proper.v

guides. 21)',l at the; requisite. upward, distance.. The.'

space 391mg.' 4). resulting fromA these a'rltverieef ments provides an additional or semi-secret compartment for the storage of extra sheets of stamps of various denominations.

I-landle'sd or a'l carrying f strapf (neither shown) willbe connectedwith upstandingtlugslo which are cemented or otherwise aflxed to the sides. Each is desirably strengthened by a rib. Means forlockingdown the cover I4, comprising a hasp 4I which is hingedly aixed to the back I2 as shown, is provided. The hasp is swung over a keeperf'tZlv (Fig: 6) which has a hole for the shackle ofra lock. The cover flange I'l is cut out at the back as at'43 to make room for the hasp when:the:cover is set down into place. The short radius of the hasp restricts the raising movement ofy thefcoverf so.-that thelatter is loclzedfdown for all-practicalipurposes when the lock- (not shown) is in place;

From the foregoing: descriptionr it will-be understood-,that the compartments 23are primarily constructed fori thefstorage of sheets of stamps, or portions thereof, folded vertically inaccordion formation. Aseach vertical row is pulledI out and tornV oi the emergent edge is yieldingly gripped byf the dispensing anges, while the major. portion oftheaccordion fold is held backA by the retarding ribs. Theremaining compartmentations36,w3 and 39, are an important auxiliary-toithe compartments 23 in thatV they -maintairnin asense, a'necessary'sourceY of sup-- ply;A Byran extensionof the present invention, the. latterv compartmentationf isv active: while the. formerzis static.

Moreover', by. removing the` plate 222-, a new-seriesofxcompartmentsfmay be formed byj insertingonel or' moreY platesv (not shown) parallel to-the sides I 3 between the cooperating, ,opposing channelsa 19:' so that' the plates are vertically slidable inA thev channel: grooves. These compartments have found; particular usey as storagespace for stamps;y

True to: its.l primary nature of akittthe con'- tainer' includes the bottomI II. But it is conceivable that the. stamp; compartments 23 mayY functiontas thedispensingmedium'of interfolded commodities without employing a bottom. This. arrangement-canape visualized without illustration.v Thuainthecase of'a;sheet ofstamps, themajor fold formation' 2lb will. stay,` in.y placeby theeexpansivev reactionof theifolds. rPhe dispensing: angesiaid.' in-holding; the'stamps in place in the'compartmentsdow-n to fthe last rowi.

While the4 invention: has been described. in a` preferred embodiment,.it willlbe understood-that variousmodicationsfand departures thereof are included". and I: intend: that such modifications shall beincluded'within the appended claims;

1. A- dispensing,- c'ontainer for sheet material, comprising abox including a. bottom, opposite sidesiandal back, and an open front and/top, said sides having guideways at-their front portion. activeandstatic compartmentation ink thebox comprising. a plate mounted on the4 sides and extending tothe bottom todefineat, least one static ystowage space-adjacenttothe back, at least onepair. of` resilient.l sides aiXedat liker edges on. ther frontj of.` the: plate in spaced. relationv and extending. toward' the. open. iront to provide; an. active, compartment. into.y which asheetinfolded' form. transferable from said, stowage space, saidisideshavingterminal dispensing flanges between. which. a. free edge.y of! the, folded sheet vis en oergenh.andV a.cover pnovidingl a common' clo- Sure' for all" of the compartmentation. including;

5 a front portion slidable in said guideways and a top portion anged on three sides.

2. A dispensing container for sheet material, comprising a box including a bottom, back and opposite sides and open at the front and top, at least two compartments of varied size in the box, each being composed of resilient sides extending toward each other and having terminal dispensing flanges, a first plate affixed to the sides having an offset to accommodate the varied sized compartments said flanges extending to the bottorn, like edges of the sides being ailixed to the respective portions of the plate, and a shelved second plate mounted on the sides dening a compartmentation between the iirst plate and back, and a receptacle afiixed to the second plate, extending into said offset and providing a fingerhold for the withdrawal of the second plate for access to the space below said compartmentation.

3. A postal kit comprising a box container includng a bottom, opposite sides and a back, and an open front and top, said sides having guide- Ways at their front portion, at least one plate vertically tted in the box mounted on said sides and extending to the bottom, and a stamp compartment of which the plate is a part, said compartment including a pair of arched resilient sides vertically positioned and afxed at like edges to the plate in spaced relation, their nether edges extending to the bottom but being unattached thereto whereby to avoid interference with flexure, said sides extending toward each other and having terminal dispensing ilanges held in substantial contact by the resilience of the sides to yieldingly grip a row of stamps, and a cover providing a closure, including a front portion slidable in said guideways and a top portion anged on three sides.

4. In a dispensing container for sheet material, a plate having parallel mounting ribs, a pair of oppositely positioned compartment sides afxed at like edges to the plate along the ribs for determining the spaced relation of the sides, said sides being resilient and arched from the ribs toward each other and having terminal dispensing flanges held in substantial flat contact by the resilience of ythe sides, and oppositely positioned inwardly extending retarding ribs on the inner surfaces of each of the sides running parallel to and spaced apart from the plate whereby to provide an initial compartment within the connes of the sides.

LEONARD ARNOLD SMOAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 958,991 Burton May 24, 1910 978,052 Oehring Dec. 6, 1910 1,174,081 Martin Mar. 7, 1916 1,228,571 Lazar June 5, 1917 1,339,823 Harbaugh May 11, 1920 2,061,965 Graeser Nov. 24:, 1936 2,107,194 Yacker et al. Feb. l, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 755,509 France Sept. 11, 1933 

